U.S. stocks were little changed, after the first drop in five days for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, as investors assessed corporate earnings and speculated on when the Federal Reserve will cut stimulus.

U.S. stocks fell, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lower for the sixth time in eight days, after economists predicted the Federal Reserve will reduce stimulus in September as European data added to signs that the global economy is strengthening.

Sprint Nextel Corp., whose investors backed a takeover by SoftBank Corp. yesterday after an eight-month fight, is now preparing to use the firepower of its soon- to-be parent company to target Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc.